Standardized tests are aimed to be inclusive and non-discriminatory. They have a goal of making sure the content is equivalent for all students. If we use different tests for certain groups of people, such as minorities or people with disabilities, we are creating an unfairness.
As former Washington, DC public schools chancellor Michelle Rhee stated, “You can’t separate them [students with disabilities and students without disabilities], and to try to do so creates two, unequal systems, one with accountability and one without it.” With this, Rhee was arguing for an “accommodate, don’t discriminate” approach.
However, creating a separate test/standard of measure is not discriminating, but actually accommodating. For example, people with poor vision wear glasses, the blind use Braille, and the hard-of-hearing use cochlear implants. These are accommodations for people with special needs. If there was not a Braille system in place, we would be discriminating against those with special needs. Just how we accommodate for people in everyday life, we should accommodate for students in school and when testing.
Students with disabilities perform poorly on current standardized tests when compared to their non-disabled counterparts. Creating a different standard of measure for students with disabilities is accommodating their needs. Not doing so creates a bias by not recognizing their needs. Most of the time, students with disabilities are not being taught the same material as their non-disabled counterparts. With so much reliance on test scores and a lack of exposure to certain subject, students with disabilities face many barriers.
Another group standardized testing discriminates towards is English language learners. These students have to take a test, sometimes high-stakes, before they’ve even had the chance to master English. This can cause confusion and a lack of understanding during the test. An excelling student can be mislabeled as failing due to their test scores. If the test is high-stakes and the student does not perform well, they can face many consequences, including being moved to a remedial class, repeating a grade, or not graduating.
Though standardized tests are created to be equal, they fail to recognize that everyone is not equal. This “standard” cannot measure every person’s intellect.
avengersdmad14.wordpress.com 